1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mowers of the type used to shear grasses growing on a ground surface, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for combing, positioning, and cutting grasses through the use of one or more rotary driven rake structures positioned generally forwardly of a cutter. Depending on the positioning, structure, and direction of rotation of the rotary rake structures, the rake structures may additionally serve the functions of pulling out matted weeds such as crabgrass, preventing the admission of foreign objects to the region of the cutter, and sweeping grass clippings into a grass catcher.
2. The Prior Art
Three basic types of mechanical grass cutting devices are well known. First, there is the rotary lawn mower having a relatively long thin blade disposed for high speed rotation in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis. Second, there is the reel type lawn mower wherein a cylindrical cutter assembly rotates about a horizontal axis to provide a shearing action in conjunction with one or more fixed blades. Third, there is the reciprocating cutter wherein a cutter bar assembly carrying a plurality of forwardly projecting tines having sharpened surfaces cooperates with a sickle or cutter which is reciprocated cyclically back and forth to achieve a shearing action. One such reciprocating cutter is described and claimed in the referenced patent.
Rotary and reel type systems are inherently simpler and less expensive than reciprocating cutters. Since the quality of the cutting job on residential lawns has not been substantially different whether a reel type, rotary type, or reciprocating cutter type mower is used, the rotary and reel type systems have been widely used in residential lawn mowers. Reciprocating cutters, on the other hand, are well adapted to handle the heavy load of harvesting tall grass crops and, accordingly, have been used almost exclusively in farm-implement applications.
One drawback of all three types of mowers is that they are equipped to do little, if anything, to prevent the admission of foreign objects to the region of the cutter. When foreign objects such as sticks, stones, pieces of metal, and the like are contacted by the cutter, the cutter is frequently damaged or jammed. The object is frequently propelled by the cutter in the manner of a missile and can do considerable harm to the operator or to other objects positioned in its flight path. While a wide variety of guards have been proposed in an effort to prevent the entry of objects to the region of cutter operation and to stop objects propelled outwardly from the cutter, the fact remains that many injuries and a good deal of damage to mowers and other property occurs each year due to foreign objects contacting the cutters of mowers.
Still another drawback of known prior art lawn mowers is that they are in no way equipped to pick up or pull out such matter low-growing weeds as crabgrass. Rather, known lawn mowers trim the grass at a height above such low growing weeds and do nothing to disturb their growth and spread.
Present day rotary and reel type residential lawn mowers are equipped to do little, if anything, to position grass blades in an erect, upright attitude for engagement by the rotating blade. Consequently grass blades which are bent downwardly are frequently not picked up by the mower for shearing at equal lengths with upstanding blades of grass, and an uneven grass cutting job results.